The high oil price relief fund may sound simple when described as covering “70% of all citizens,” but actual eligibility must be determined by looking at household composition, health insurance premiums, high-asset exclusion rules, and special rules for dual-income households. Because health insurance premiums do not exactly match take-home pay, the most important step is to check the amount you personally paid.
2026 High Oil Price Relief Fund Eligibility Criteria: Health Insurance Premium Cutoffs and High-Asset Exclusions
The second round of the 2026 high oil price relief fund is for citizens in the bottom 70% by income. Selection is based on the household’s combined self-paid health insurance premiums assessed for March 2026, excluding long-term care insurance premiums. However, households that exceed the property tax assessment base or financial income thresholds for high-asset households are excluded even if they meet the health insurance premium criteria.
The government will accept applications and make payments for the second round of the high oil price relief fund from May 18 to July 3, 2026. The second round targets citizens in the bottom 70% by income, with payments varying by place of residence: KRW 100,000 in the Seoul metropolitan area, KRW 150,000 outside the metropolitan area, KRW 200,000 in preferential support areas facing population decline, and KRW 250,000 in special support areas facing population decline.
Eligibility is not determined simply by annual salary or monthly wages. It also reflects the self-paid health insurance premium for March 2026, household composition as of March 30, 2026, whether the household has multiple income earners such as a dual-income couple, the property tax assessment base, and financial income.
Basic Information on Eligibility Selection
Household Composition Criteria
The basic standard is the resident registration record as of March 30, 2026.
The selection unit for the second round of the high oil price relief fund is the group of people listed together on the household resident registration record under the Resident Registration Act as of March 30, 2026.
Spouses and children may be treated as the same household even if they live at different addresses.
Under the National Health Insurance Act, a spouse and children who are dependents may be recognized as the same household because they are viewed as one economic unit, even if their registered addresses differ.
Parents at a different address are treated as a separate household even if they are dependents.
Even if parents are health insurance dependents, they are treated as a separate household when their address is different. Dual-income spouses are generally treated as separate households, but they may be recognized as the same household if combining premiums is more favorable.
Health Insurance Premium Threshold Table
The table below is based on self-paid health insurance premiums for March 2026. Long-term care insurance premiums are excluded, and eligibility is determined by adding up the premiums for each household member.
| Household size | Employee-insured | Regionally insured | Mixed type Employee + regional |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | KRW 130,000 | KRW 80,000 | – |
| 2 people | KRW 140,000 | KRW 120,000 | KRW 140,000 |
| 3 people | KRW 260,000 | KRW 190,000 | KRW 240,000 |
| 4 people | KRW 320,000 | KRW 220,000 | KRW 300,000 |
| 5 people | KRW 390,000 | KRW 240,000 | KRW 360,000 |
| 6 people | KRW 430,000 | KRW 290,000 | KRW 380,000 |
| 7 people | KRW 470,000 | KRW 320,000 | KRW 420,000 |
| 8 people | KRW 510,000 | KRW 400,000 | KRW 490,000 |
| 9 people | KRW 540,000 | KRW 440,000 | KRW 510,000 |
| 10 or more people | KRW 580,000 | KRW 470,000 | KRW 550,000 |
Special Rules for Dual-Income and Multiple-Income Households
Employee-insured households
If there are two or more employee-insured members in the household, it is considered a multiple-income household. Dependents are not counted as income earners.
Regionally insured households
If two or more household members have annual comprehensive income and separately taxed financial income attributable to 2024 of at least KRW 3 million, the household is considered a multiple-income household.
Mixed households
If a household includes both employee-insured and regionally insured members, and at least one regionally insured member has annual comprehensive income and separately taxed financial income attributable to 2024 of at least KRW 3 million, the household may fall under the multiple-income standard.
How the rule is applied
Multiple-income households use the health insurance premium threshold for one more person than the actual household size. This special rule is intended to prevent households with several income earners from being disadvantaged.
Example
For a 4-person household that includes two employee-insured members, the applicable cutoff is not the general 4-person employee-insured threshold of KRW 320,000 but the 5-person employee-insured threshold of KRW 390,000. In other words, if a dual-income 4-person employee-insured household has combined health insurance premiums of KRW 370,000, it would exceed the general standard but may qualify when the dual-income special rule is applied.
High-Asset Exclusion Criteria
Even if you meet the health insurance premium standard, you are excluded if you exceed the high-asset criteria.
If the combined 2025 property tax assessment base of household members exceeds KRW 1.2 billion, or if the combined financial income attributable to 2024 exceeds KRW 20 million, all members of that household are excluded from payment eligibility.
The exclusion criteria are based on the household total.
The assessment is not limited to one individual; it is based on the combined total for all household members. Households with real estate holdings or large interest and dividend income should check the property tax assessment base and financial income separately from the health insurance premium criteria.
| Exclusion item | Standard | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| Property tax assessment base | Combined 2025 property tax assessment base for household members exceeds KRW 1.2 billion | Wetax local tax assessment certificate or inquiry with the local government tax department |
| Financial income | Combined financial income attributable to 2024 for household members exceeds KRW 20 million | Hometax financial income inquiry or inquiry with a tax office |
First-Round Criteria for Vulnerable Groups
The first round of payments prioritized vulnerable groups.
The first-round eligible groups were Basic Livelihood Security recipients, near-poverty households, and single-parent family beneficiaries. The basic payment amount was KRW 550,000 per person for Basic Livelihood Security recipients and KRW 450,000 per person for near-poverty households and single-parent family beneficiaries.
Additional support is available outside the metropolitan area or in population-decline areas.
If a first-round recipient lives outside the metropolitan area or in a population-decline area, an additional KRW 50,000 per person is paid. Eligible people who did not apply during the first-round period may also apply during the second-round period from May 18 to July 3.
Steps to Check Eligibility
Confirm the household members listed on the resident registration record as of March 30, 2026. Also check whether a spouse or children at a different address are health insurance dependents and whether treating dual-income spouses as the same household would be more favorable.
Use the National Health Insurance Service website or app to check the self-paid health insurance premium for March 2026. Exclude long-term care insurance premiums and add up the amounts for each household member.
Identify whether the household falls under employee-insured, regionally insured, or mixed status, then compare it with the threshold table. If it is a multiple-income household such as a dual-income household, add one person to the household size for the comparison.
Check whether the combined property tax assessment base exceeds KRW 1.2 billion or financial income exceeds KRW 20 million. If either threshold is exceeded, every household member is excluded.
When an Objection May Be Needed
- If family relationships changed after March 30, 2026, such as through marriage or birth
- If income dropped significantly because of job loss, business suspension, or business closure but was not reflected in March health insurance premiums
- If health insurance dependent status or household composition was reflected differently from the actual situation
- If there is an objection to the eligibility selection result or payment amount
- If property tax assessment base or financial income data needs to be verified
Objection filing period
The objection filing period for the second round of the high oil price relief fund is from May 18 to July 17, 2026. Objections can be submitted online through e-People or in person at an eup, myeon, or dong Administrative Welfare Center. Submitted objections are reviewed by each local government, and results are individually notified.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where can I check my March 2026 health insurance premium?
A. You can check it on the National Health Insurance Service website or app. Card company notices state that eligibility can be checked through the high oil price relief fund eligibility lookup menu on the NHIS website or app.
Q. Are long-term care insurance premiums included?
A. No. The standard is the self-paid health insurance premium for March 2026, and long-term care insurance premiums are excluded.
Q. What is the threshold for a 4-person single-income employee-insured household?
A. The 4-person employee-insured threshold is KRW 320,000 or less. However, for a dual-income 4-person household with two employee-insured members, the 5-person threshold of KRW 390,000 or less applies.
Q. Is the KRW 1.2 billion property tax assessment base an individual standard?
A. No. It is based on the combined household total. If the combined 2025 property tax assessment base for household members exceeds KRW 1.2 billion, every member of that household is excluded.
Q. Is the KRW 20 million financial income threshold also based on the household total?
A. Yes. It is based on combined financial income attributable to 2024 for household members. If the total amount of financial income, including interest and dividend income, exceeds KRW 20 million, the household is excluded.
Q. Can Basic Livelihood Security recipients who missed the first-round application still apply?
A. Yes. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced that Basic Livelihood Security recipients, near-poverty households, and single-parent family beneficiaries who did not apply during the first-round application period may also apply during the second-round application period.
Conclusion
Eligibility for the 2026 high oil price relief fund cannot be determined by the phrase “bottom 70% by income” alone. First, check the household composition as of March 30, 2026, then compare the combined self-paid health insurance premiums for March 2026 with the threshold table by subscriber type. To determine eligibility accurately, also check the dual-income special rule, property tax assessment base, and financial income exclusion criteria.
If your household composition changed or your income dropped sharply because of job loss or business closure but was not reflected in health insurance premiums, you may consider filing an objection. If eligibility is unclear, the safest approach is to check through a card company app, the National Health Insurance Service, the Government Call Center at 110, the dedicated call center, or the Administrative Welfare Center for your address.
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